Thank you for playing the Open Beta and making the final game better!

We are very excited to see so many gamers join our Battlefield 3 Open Beta. Here’s an update on the Open Beta from DICE General Manager Karl Magnus Troedsson.

I want to give you an overview of how the Open Beta is helping us shape a fantastic final game, what we are implementing based on your feedback, and how the Open Beta will help us deliver a robust gaming environment from day one.

The Open Beta is a true Beta

The Battlefield 3 Open Beta is based on software that is more than one month old. We need to test the new back end dedicated server structure we’ve built. Not only have we built a new game engine, but an entirely new back end system so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of dedicated servers on all platforms.

Just like normal procedure when releasing a game, the Open Beta has had long lead times due to testing, certification, and setting up. This means that the code you are now playing is actually quite early and not representative of the final game.

We had to do this in order to have as many people testing as possible, in order to ensure a top quality experience when the game is released. However, we’re confident in the Battlefield formula and confident that our fans will support us in order to make Battlefield 3 better.

Dedicated servers require dedicated testing

The biggest reason for running the Open Beta is to stress test our servers and back end. Already, we are seeing 6 times the number of simultaneous players in the Battlefield 3 Open Beta compared to the Beta for Battlefield: Bad Company 2! The fact that Battlefield 3 is clearly our biggest game launch ever by a magnitude of 6 makes it doubly important to test everything.

We are constantly updating the News section on Battlelog with information on what we are fixing from Open Beta to final. We appreciate your time and your feedback. The data and feedback from the Open Beta will not only directly affect the final game of Battlefield 3, but its future development and support.

We’re heading out on the road this week to let journalists experience all aspects of Battlefield 3. Stay tuned for their previews, and stay tuned for the final game on October 25th. The final game will look, play and sound better than the Open Beta. You have helped making sure of that.

Karl Magnus Troedsson

General Manager, DICE

Create a personalised Platoon in Battlefield 3, invite your friends, and show the world who is the best of the best. This is how Platoons will change the way you fight and rank up together.

With Battlelog, we are expanding the social aspect of playing Battlefield 3, and Platoons is one of the central concepts in doing that. Check out the Battlelog video below for a closer look at the social platform Battlelog as a whole. Read on for the full details on why being in a Platoon is the most engaging and rewarding way to play Battlefield 3.

A Platoon is essentially the classic concept of gaming clans, only taken to the next level of flexibility and social interaction. Anyone can start their own Platoon easily in Battlelog. Give your Platoon a name, a description, and an abbreviation, and then you’re ready to start inviting friends through the slick Battlelog interface.

To personalise your Platoon, you can use the built-in emblem feature in Battlelog, where you pick and choose from ready-made shapes and templates and then place and format them to your liking. Up to 100 players can be part of a Platoon at any given time, and you can be a member of three different Platoons at the same time – you just need to select which of these you want to be active at any one time.

Play for the glory of your Platoon
Every game you play when part of a Platoon (whether you play on your own or with other members) will count towards your Platoon’s aggregate statistics, scores, and rank. Having a large pool of skilled players who play a lot of games is a good idea if you want to rise to the top in the Platoon-specific leaderboards.

Just like on an individual player level, the Platoon page will have detailed stats on how you are doing collectively. What’s your record for winning and losing online? What’s the breakdown of classes within your Platoon? Who is the most valuable player in your Platoon? What is the mean rank of your Platoon? and so on.

You also have a Platoon specific feed in Battlelog that will show everything that concerns your Platoon – people joining, internal chats, new match records for your members, and anything else you need to keep track of what is happening in your group of players.

Battlelog users can search for Platoons in their country or area, become fans of Platoons, or apply for membership. In the regular news feed for Battlelog, fans and friends can follow your latest progress and awards.

With Platoons, we are making it easier and more fun than ever to play together. It’s not just a group of people playing together, either – it’s a large group of people where everything you do will ultimately have an impact on your Platoon’s standing and be reflected in their statistics.

You can get a first taste of the Platoon functionality in Battlefield 3 right now in the Open Beta.* While not having every feature turned on, this is a great chance for you to try it out, and see how it will give you that extra incentive to play and to contribute to the greater good of advancing your Platoon.